Single mom with bipolar disorder struggles to raise 5 kids

According to WebMD, bipolar disorder is “a serious mental illness that is characterized by extreme changes in mood, from mania to depression. It can lead to risky behavior, damaged relationships and careers, and even suicidal tendencies if it’s not treated.”

Worse yet, not only does research show that women tend to experience more periods of depression than men, “women are also at higher risk for rapid cycling, which means having four or more mood episodes in one year.”

Needless to say, that doesn’t sound like a picnic to live with.

It makes it harder to hold a job, harder to maintain relationships and harder to do all sorts of things required for success in the world.

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Now add on caring for five children.

That’s just a beginning of understanding the life Lisa leads as she heads into the holiday season — a season renown for triggering attacks of severe depression.

Lisa, and the names of her children, have been changed here to protect their privacy.

Lisa’s oldest child is an 11-year-old boy, Steven.

Then comes a 7-year-old girl, Alisha and another girl, 6; Karen.

Lisa also has a 3-year-old boy, Eddie, and a 1-year-old girl, Jeanette.

Their life means moving around a lot.

For the past several months, Lisa and her five children have been living with a friend and only in the last two weeks, secured an apartment for them all to live.

But that meant putting out money for a security deposit, and then rent.

With no child support money coming in, Lisa said she has to make due each month on about $1,200 in public assistance, including food stamps.

Needless to say, that doesn’t leave anything left over for non-essentials, like Christmas presents, or even a tree.

“We’ve never had a Christmas tree,” Lisa said quietly. “I don’t even own any decorations.”

But this year will be different, thanks to Operation Holiday and contributors like you.

Now in its 22nd year, Operation Holiday has provided a brighter holiday season to thousands of families with children. Last year, more than $50,000 in donations allowed the program to provide food and gifts for 252 families including 701 children.

This year’s list of families referred by local service agencies is already at 238 families with 635 children.

There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay in the Pottstown area. Families are referred by local agencies and churches.

Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of The Mercury.

Food, which includes the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry, is ordered, bought, packed and distributed by Mercury employees.

“Through the generosity of our readers with donations and of our staff with their time, we are able to help families celebrate a holiday despite their circumstances,” said Mercury Editor Nancy March.

Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscov’s and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency in order to protect the integrity of the program.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by readers’ contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.

Contributions may be mailed or brought to the offices of The Mercury, P.O. Box 484, Pottstown PA 19464. Make checks payable to Operation Holiday.